Guidelines

Districts may nominate up to two teachers, one elementary and one secondary. The Teacher of the Year Application and Nomination Guidelines for the year 2009 are available at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/edex/awards/toy.html
 

To be considered for a regional and state recognition, candidates must observe the following:
     1)   They must be nominated by the superintendent of their district, or the district in 
            which they taught during the 2007-2008 school year.
      2)   They must answer completely the state application form.  (Districts may use their
            own applications or submitted materials in making their own selections.)
      3)   Once an application has been signed and submitted for judging at the regional 
            level, it may not be altered or edited by any contest coordinator, judge or
            administrator.
 

Deadlines and Schedules

There are two deadlines that nominees must observe to qualify.   

1)  Applicants must fill out the cover sheet, sign it, and obtain the signature of both their principal and their superintendent and submit by deadline.  A signed copy of the cover sheet must be received by the regional coordinator (Hollis Parker Grimes, Region 16 ESC) no later than 4:00 p.m., Friday, June 13, 2008. Faxed cover sheets will be accepted.

2)  The completed entry, with answers to the essay questions and the cover sheet with original signatures of the applicant, principal and superintendent is due by the deadline.  The completed entry, with answers to the essay questions and the cover sheet with original signatures of the applicant, principal and superintendent must be received by the regional coordinator (Hollis Parker Grimes, Region 16 ESC) no later than 4:00 p.m., Friday, June 27, 2008.  Faxed entries will not be accepted.  This is considered the official entry and any failure to meet this deadline will result in disqualification.
 

Thursday,
August 28, 2008

Finalists will be honored, and Region 16 Teachers of the Year will be announced at a reception at 6 p.m. at Region 16 ESC, 5800 Bell Street, Amarillo.  Families, friends and colleagues are invited to attend.

Friday,
August 22, 2008

Semifinalist judging will take place. State Finalists, three elementary teachers and three secondary teachers, will be selected by two panels of judges (one for elementary and another for secondary).  Finalists' superintendents and the ESCs will be notified, and TEA will distribute a news release announcing the six finalists the following week.

Saturday,
September 27, 2008

Six State Finalists will be interviewed in Austin.

The week following
the interviews

The six finalists' superintendents will be notified of the outcome, and TEA will distribute a news release to announce the winners.  Copies of this news release will be sent to all executive directors and regional coordinators at the Education Service Centers.

November 2008

The Texas Education Agency and the State Board of Education will host an awards ceremony to recognize the 2009 Texas Teachers of the Year.

January or
February 2009

The Texas Education Agency will submit Texas' entry for the state's nominee to the National Teacher of the Year Contest.  The National Teacher of the Year Contest, conducted by the Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, D.C., will announce four finalists in January or February 2009.